US Patent Searches Increase After 'American Inventor' Hits TV

Patent and trademark searches are up these days at the US Patent office...thanks to Simon Cowell.

(PRWEB) April 26, 2006 -- The American Idol creator has started another fury in America, not with terrible lounge singers again... this time it's the geeky World of Inventors on ABC's "American Inventor."

New patent and trademark searches have suddenly flooded the usually quiet patent office with all kinds of new gadgets. A lot of credit must go to the new ABC TV Show American Inventor -- www.abc.go.com/primetime/americaninventor/. One patent office employee said, "ever since American Inventor hit we've been packed with all kinds of requests for patent searches or any new patent and trademark information available... seems everyone wants to be an inventor now...

Simon Cowell said,"America has always been the mother of invention, from the airplane, rockets, plastic and the Internet to flip-flops and soda. This is the ultimate American dream. We want this show to make someone a multi-millionaire."

With one million dollars at stake, "American Inventor" is celebrating the best in homespun American ingenuity. From mothers with a notion for a better baby stroller to experienced engineers with several patented inventions, "American Inventor" has opened the door to anyone with a great idea. No invention is too big or small.

Prospective contestants can enter with a sketch, a prototype or even just a concept. The competition is open both to individuals and teams. The invention must be something that can be mass produced and sold to consumers in a retail outlet. Expert judges narrow down the initial entries to a group of finalists, who are given $50,000 dollars to develop their product, refine it and take it to the next level. But in the end it will be up to America viewers to call in and vote on which invention is worthy of the one million dollar prize.

These new patent hungry inventors all want to do the same thing, invent the next iPod, and make a ton of money. Sounds great except there is a downside. The business of hiding your invention from other parties seems to be the biggest problem most inventors face. Having a patent or trademark is the only way to protect yourself, and your idea.

Getting a patent is not that hard to do, but there are a few things you must do without fail. Doing it without an attorney is next to impossible, but it can be done. Patent expert Greg Tremblay; author of a do-it-yourself Patent eBook www.patent-trademark-information.com says "the first thing you need to do when you have a great idea is, don't tell anyone about it, not even your uncle or best friend. Do an extensive world-wide patent search, apply for a free kit from the US Patent office, and then have an patent attorney look at your application before you submit it."

The US Patent Office www.uspto.gov has free patent information kits available -- going fast.

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